Liam Smith is out to prove he is ready for a world title opportunity and believes a fight with Chris Eubank Jr will be 'easy to make'.
Smith will return to action this weekend as he takes on Hassan Mwakinyo at the M&S Bank Arena, headlining a card that includes Natasha Jonas, Paddy Lacey and Frankie Stringer.
The 34-year-old is riding the momentum of impressive wins over Anthony Fowler and, most recently, Jessie Vargas in New York, having been dealt a setback in defeat to Magomed Kurbanov in Russia back in May 2012.
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Smith, who has a record of 31 wins, is eager to move up the ranks again and is aiming to impress against Mwakinyo this Saturday.
He said: “I don't expect anything less than an opponent the quality of Hassan Mwakinyo at the level I’m at.
“I have to be switched on because he’s heavy-handed, and that’s the only way I could come unstuck in this fight, I have to be switched on to that, then I can do a proper job on Hassan.
“If I was coming towards the end of my career, my family would have told me, and I haven’t been told anything. I don’t want to sit here and take tick-over fights for the rest of my career, I want huge fights which people talk about and to challenge for a world title again.
“I want to beat Hassan well on Saturday night and prove I’m ready for a shot at a world title again.”
Smith, who is a former WBO Super Welterweight Champion, has also long been linked to a fight against Chris Eubank Jr, who is currently gearing up to face Conor Benn in October. And when asked about the possibility of fighting the 32-year-old, 'Beefy' explained why he believes the fight will be easy to make.
He said: "Obviously Chris Eubank is easy to make because of the Sky situation, that's one I'll take. Even if it's not him, make another huge fight and I'll take it.”
And while acknowledging the threat posed by Mwakinyo, BOXXER CEO Ben Shalom believes big nights lie ahead for Smith.
"We're under no illusions, we wanted the Eubank fight next but everybody knows Liam Smith is a very very tough fight and if there's an easier fight on the table people are going to take it," he said at the Anfield press conference.
"It was important for us to get him back on the platform, important for us to do a homecoming. I think it will be a massive night on Saturday night.
"Then it's the business end, then we're into world titles and big fights. Liam is ready for big fights and has been for a long time."
Before Shalom added on this weekend's show, saying: “Unbelievable to start the season in probably the best boxing city in the UK, Liverpool. Liam Smith returns to Sky Sports and for the first time with BOXXER, and with the form he’s in it’s incredible to get him out straight away.
“Natasha Jonas became world champion in February, people questioned whether she should jump three weight classes to 154lbs, but she did it in style and here she is again, unifying against a very tough, unbeaten Patricia Berghult.”
“Liam Smith showed he was world level against Kurbanov, Fowler and Vargas. It was important for us to get him back on the Sky platform, it was important for us to give him a homecoming. I think it's going to be a massive night on Saturday on Sky. It’s great for him to headline and then we’re into the business end.
"Then we’re into world titles and big fights. Hassan Mwakinyo is a big puncher, he’s unbeaten in 10 fights, so Liam will have to watch out for that, but then we can get into the really big fights.”
Click here for more information and to buy tickets for the BOXXER event on 3rd September at the M&S Bank Arena.
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